Each night as the sun begins to set, and the shadows of the night creep over the land, a mysterious realm emerges. This is the world of the Yokai: the ghosts, ghouls and demons that rise in the dusk and play through the night.

Tamako, a young girl, finds herself trapped in this realm. Now she must make her way to the top of the mountain to find her way home.

In Rising Dusk you will come across colourful, numbered blocks. The number on these blocks is related to the number of coins you currently possess.

If you have 1 or more coins a 1 Block will break, 2 or more and a 2 Block will break, and so on....

Get 1 or more coins and the 1 blocks will disappear...

...or don't and the block remains solid.

Sometimes you'll need to resist all temptations to collect everything to complete the level.

...but other times you will need to collect coins.

There are 3 different Block types in the demo: Yokai Block, Kumo Block and Wood Block.

What do they all do? Play the demo and find out!

There will be other types of blocks in the final game too.

A young girl who has accidentally wandered into the Yokai realm. Now she has to use her wits to find her way back home or be lost in the dusk forever.

Bakeneko-chan is the Miko at Kin-Neko-Ji. She needs your help to get all the stolen Maneki Neko back.

Deep in the forest there lives an old lady who will (literally) chew the ear off anyone that'll stop and listen to her ramblings. She might give you some helpful advice, just don't get too close.

The Kappa, Hitotsume Kozo, and Tanuki are a common sight in this world. They don't have much malicious intent but getting in their way may occasionally cause them to lash out. However, there are some yokai in this world you should avoid at all costs!

Ashiarai Yashiki Visitors to the local bathhouse can expect a soothing soak in the heated bath, fantastic views of the local mountain range, and a giant dirty foot that crashes through the bathroom ceiling.

There'll be frequent updates and additions to characters over the month, so make sure to come back to see some of the other characters you'll be encountering.

The game’s original music and sound design are being carefully put together to create the right atmosphere for the world of Rising Dusk. Influenced by classic 16-bit era soundtracks each level will have its own unique theme. Take a listen to some of the tracks from the game below.

"Ocean Breaks"

"Field Day"

Check out updates for more previews from the soundtrack.

Of course there wouldn't be a Kickstarter campaign without some awesome rewards! Check out some of the cool things you can get by backing.

Thank you in Credits - Your name will forever appear in the credits of Rising Dusk as a backer!

Digital Game - A digital copy of the game, there will be the option of a DRM-free version for those that prefer it.

Digital Manual - Do you miss that feeling of scouring over a new game's manual in preparation of what lie ahead? So do we! That's why there'll be a digital version of the manual you can download and view.

Digital Soundtrack - Want to listen to Rising Dusk's music on your way to work? Now you can with a digital download of the soundtrack. The soundtrack will also include some exclusive bonus tracks for backers.

Digital Artbook - All the artwork! Concept art, pixel art, sketches, etc. All compiled into one compendium of artwork.

Get Beta Access - Get access to the game early and be a beta tester. You'll get to explore the world of Rising Dusk early and help exorcise the final game of any yokai-related bugs.

Design an Non-Playable Character - Ever wanted to be in a game in the background? Work with the developer to design a character that will appear in the game. You may even score a speaking role!

Design a Playable Character - Design your own original character to be playable in the local multiplayer. Only 2 slots available so get in quick!

Physical Sountrack on CD or Cassette - Love the soundtrack? Prefer your music on physical mediums? Want a replica of the in-game cassette tape? This is for you!

Canvas Art Print - Get your favourite piece of Rising Dusk art printed onto a displayable canvas print to hang on your wall.These canvas prints are high quality, light weight, and come ready to hang. Size is to be confirmed

Lukas Stobie (Studio Stobie) is a Melbourne artist and game designer based in Tokyo. As a pixel artist he has worked on several indie games including SWD Tech’s game Pixel Noir. Rising Dusk is his first solo developed game project and has been in development for the past 2 years.

Additional support from Max Ebert (co-creator of indie comic Evil Jesus) in the writing department, and Brett Wright (one-third of Band Ai Robot) in sound design.

Where will the money go?

After the initial Kickstarter fees the majority of the money will be used to complete the game. Tasks the money will go to include:

Creating all remaining assets and animations. (Currently at around 45% completion)

Risks and challenges

Before launching this Kickstarter I have ensured that Rising Dusk is already quite far along and that there is a polished demo in order to fully demonstrate the concept and scope of the game. Like any Kickstarter game project the usual risks apply, and there are the possibilities of delays. However all stretch goals have been planned to not impact the initial release, and additional characters and/or levels will be released as DLC. Outsourcing will be used if needed.